Rule gauge



J. W. FULTON June 11, 1940.

RULE GAUGE Filed'DeC. 12, 1938 Patented June 11, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-H'CE RULE GAUGE Y James Fulton, Waukegan, Ill.

' Application December 12, 1938', Serial No. 245,115 d '6 Claims. (01. 33-1731 This invention relates to improvements in rule gauges and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

- Frequently a carpenter or other Woodworker has to measure a certain length of apiece or article and then cut a'similar length from longer stock. Ordinarily the carpenter would take a rule or scale, measure thelength of the piece desired and then take the" rule or scale and apply a pencil or scribing a line with a scriber, nail or other pointed article. When following this usual practice, there is always danger'oif error. There is the danger that the carpenter has not accurately read the rule or scale measurement in'the first instance; there is the danger that he may manner of transferring the measurement'taken forget the reading when applying it to the piece to be cut; and finally there is the' danger when making the mark on the piece'to be 1cut,-even though he remembers the measurement taken,

that his eye may not accurately place the markv ing implement directly at thepoint intended.

One of the objects of the present invention-is 5 to provide a small, simple and inexpensive-device for attachment toa rule-or scale orother elongated measuring member whichovercomes the above mentioned chances of'errors.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device in the nature of a spring clamp that engages flatly with a'measuring'member 'or rule of the folding kind when circumstance makes it necessary to apply the device to said member or rule at one of the folding joints thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind including a shoulder or abutment having a scribing edge coincident with its outer face, whereby a measurement taken with the measuring member or rule with the aid 40 of the device may be more accurately transferred and scribed upon another piece of work- The above mentioned objects of the invention,

as well as others, together with the advantages used upon a one-piece rule .or scale, a carpenters 1 rule or even an elongated member or blade such as an ordinary wooden lath. V a 3 Fig. 1.

thereof, will more fully appear as the specifica tion proceeds. The invention is herein illusv In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a rule gauge "embodyingthe preferred formof the invention when applied'to a measuring device such as a so-called folding rulef Fig. '2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through Fig. 1-as taken on the 1ine'2-2-of said Fig. 3:,isaktop plan view of the rule gauge on a scale'ienlarged over that appearing in Fig. 1.

it to a piece of longer stock, makinga mark with I -v 418 a View in real elevation of the gauge device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the 1 manner of using the gauge in connection with a measuring device for taking the measurement of a certain piece of work.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to-Fig. 5 and shows the in Fig.5 to a stock of greater length'to produce a duplicate'of the piece of work appearing in Fig. 5.

Referringnow .in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig.1 of the drawing: H1 indicates the device as 'a' whole and I l indicates a part of a relativelystraight elongated measuring member such as a so-called folding rule upon .which it is employed. When such a ,rule-is initsextended position for use, end portionsof adjacent sections overlap one another.

The improved device is generally in the'nature of a spring clamp, including a bottom plate I 2 and atop plate I 3, the latter being made in the form-of a pair of plate-like members, 'l3aand abutment l6, thefree end of which is bevelled on its inner side or face toform a sharpened scribing edge I! that is coincident with the outer face of said 's'h oulder. If desired, but not necessarily so, said bottom plate may-be formed at its other end, toward said other side, with a'longitudinally disposed; pointed extension l8 toprovide a scribing accessory for the device and which maybe used as'such when the device is removed from the member I I.

in, the ,ears I, extension I5, shoulder-Iii and scribing extension J8 are all. made as integral parts of theplate member 12; 1 i g Each plate-like member l3a-l3b is'of awidth approximating that of. the bottom plate I 2 and As shown here- I site the grip portion I5.

is of a length approximating about half of that of said plate I2. Each plate-like member l3al3b is also formed at one side of both of its ends with downturned pairs of ears I9 and 20 respectively. Each plate-like member is further formed along said sides with lateral grip extension portions 2| and 22 for combined or individual use in connection with the finger grip extension l5 of the bottom plate [2. The pairs of ears l9 and 20 respectively are adapted to align with each other and with the ears M of the plate l2 and when thus aligned, a pintle or pivot pin 23 is passed therethrough and whereby the plate members l3al3b are mounted for independent pivotal movement on the bottom plate I2. Torsion springs 2424 surround the pin 23between the pairs of ears (9 and 21] of each plate member |3a-I3b and one end of each spring has engagement with the plate l2 and the other end of each spring has engagement with an associated plate member l3a--l3b.

By reason of the spring arrangement mentioned, those sides of the plate members l3a l3b opposite the grip portions 2I22 normally yieldingly engage that side of the plate l2 oppo- If desired, the plate member l3a may be formed with an upturned abutment or shoulder 25 arranged in opposition to the shoulder it before mentioned, in which case the free edge of said shoulder 25 would likewise be bevelled onits inner side to form a sharpened scribing edge 25!! that is coincident with the outer face of said shoulder. The outer faces of the shoulders I 6 and 25-are arranged in thesame plane and which plane may be coincident with or arranged outwardly from. the plane occupied by the head on the associated end of the pin 23.

In applying the device to an elongated measuring member or a rule of any kindythe device is gripped in the fingers by the said extensions I5 and 2 l--22. These are then pressed toward each other so that the opposit'esides of the plate l2 and the plate members I3a--l3b open up or separate for application to said member or rule for one side edge thereof. When thus applied, the finger pressure on the extensions l5 and 2|22 is released, whereupon the plates I2 and l3al3b clamp into engagement with opposite faces of said member or rule. When the device is applied to a folding rule and the measurement to betaken causes the device to engage the rule at a point where the adjacent sections thereof overlap, one of the plate members I3al 3b coacts with the plate l2 to clamp upon the'two thicknesses of the overlapping rule sections and the other of said plate members coacts with the plate I2 to clamp upon'the one thickness of the rule section they engage. .This condition appears in Fig. 1. With such an arrangement it is to be noted that both plate members l3c1.--l3b and the plate l2 have a relatively flat firm clamping engagement for a good tight grip on said member or rule whereby the device cannot accidentally shift or become askewed to provide an inaccurate transfer of the measurement taken.

In first applying the device to the elongated measuring member or rule, its position is approximated by the eye for a certain measurement. When taking the measurement, the device may be easily shifted along said member or rule by first exerting a pressure on the grip extensions 15 and 2l-22 sufficient to loosen clamping engagement. When the device has been moved to bring the shoulders Iii-25 into the desired measurement indicating position, the extensions l5 and 21-22 are released and the device clamps itself to said member or rule.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6 which show one manner of using the device. Assume that 26 represents a relatively short piece of board, of which a duplicate or similar sized piece is desired. To take the measurement of said piece of board the operator applies the device to the member employed for measuring, placing one end of said member in line with one end edge of said piece 26.

The operator then slides the device along said member as above mentioned, until one of the abutments H5 or 24 comes into contact with the other end edge of said piece. Said member with the device clamped in position thereon is then removed from the piece 26 and placed on a board 21 from which the piece desired is to be cut. It is only necessary to place the end I la of the member II in line with an end edge of the board 21 and then with the sharp edge of one or the other of the shoulders I 6--25 make a line, scratch or other mark indicated by the dotted line 28 on said board in Fig. 6. This gives the workman a true line to be followed in cutting the board 21. As it has not been necessary for the workman to make any reading of the scale, there is no danger of the occurrence of the errors before mentioned.

Furthermore, because it is not necessary to read scale or division marks, the workman can work under light conditions which would make it difiicult if not impossible for him to work if scale reading were necessary as in prior practice.

The device is not only advantageous for those working in wood, but it is also advantageous to those working. in metals and using steel scales and the like.

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts of the device, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A gauge of the kind described embodying therein a pair of plate-like members adapted for engagement with opposite sides of an elongated blade member, one of said plate-like members comprising a plurality of plate-like parts, means providing a spring pressed, relatively hinged connection between said plate-like parts and the other of said plate-like members, and means carried by one of said plate-like members arranged at a right angle to the length of the blade member and forming a gauge flange.

2. A gauge of the kind described embodying therein a pair of plate-like members adapted for engagement with opposite sides of an elongated blade member, one of said plate-like members comprising a plurality of plate-like parts, means providing a spring pressed, relatively hinged connection between said plate 'like parts and the other of said plate-like members, and

means carried by one of said plate-like parts and. by theother of said plate-like members and arranged at a right angle to the length of the blade member and forming gauge flanges at opposite upon opposite sides of said blade member, one of I said plate-like members comprising relatively movable plate-like parts adapted for relatively flat engagement with surface portions of one side of the blade member arranged in difierent planes.

4. A gauge adapted for use in connection with a rule having blade sections that overlap each other when said rule is in its extended condition, top and bottom plate-like members adapted for detachable clamping engagement upon opposite sides of said adjacent blade sections, one of said members comprising relatively movable parts for fiat engagement with said overlapping parts of adjacent blade sections, and means on one of said plate-like members and forming a gauge flange extending transversely of the rule.

5. A gauge adapted for use in connection with anelongated blade member and embodying therein top and bottom clamping members adapted for clamping engagement upon opposite sides *of said blade member, one ofsaid clamping members comprising plate-like parts arranged side by side and each including spaced apart ears and the other clamping member including spaced apart ears, means pivotally con-- necting the earsof said plate-like parts of the first mentioned clamping member to the ears of said other clamping member, and spring means between each plate-like part and said other clamping member and operating normally to urge certain edge portions of said plate like parts toward an associated parallel edge portion of said other clamping member, one of said clamping members carrying a shoulder part at one end thereof.

6. A gauge adapted for use in connection with an elongated blade member and embodying therein top and bottom clamping members adapted for clamping engagement up'on opposite sides of said blade member, one of said clamping members embodying plate-like parts arranged sideby side and each including spaced apart ears'and the other clamping member including spaced apart ears, means pivotally connecting the ears of said plate-like parts of the firstmentioned clamping member tothe ears of said other clamping member and operating normally to urge certain edge portions of said platelike parts parallel with and to one side of the axis of said pivotally connecting means into engagement with an associated edge portion of said other clamping member and one of which clamping members carries a shoulder partat one end thereof, and means providing extensions for said plate-like parts and for said other clamping member on the other side of said axis.

JAMES W. FULTON. 

